Live your healthiest life in retirement

If recent times have taught us anything, it’s that health is important – in all aspects of life. This is particularly true if you’re already retired, when the habits set earlier in life can help or hinder you. Ensure you’re living your best life in retirement by paying attention to these four M’s: meaningful relationships, movement, mind and money.

Meaningful relationships

When working, many social interactions are tied to coworkers and the workplace. For some, retirement means losing some of these social connections. When you’re retired, it’s important to maintain existing relationships as well as to look for opportunities to build new relationships. People who maintain strong social connections tend not only to have better mental health, but also better physical health and longevity, according to the National Institute for Aging.1

Movement

Regular exercise has many health benefits including improved bone health, cognition, quality of life and physical function, according to the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP).2 CSEP recommends adults should participate in a range of physical activities in a variety of environments and contexts across all seasons.

Mind

Always wondered if you had an inner artist, writer or programmer waiting to be released? Take a class and find out. Chances are your local college or city’s continuing education program has a class that will interest you. You may meet new people (good for forming those meaningful relationships) or learn something new. Either way, learning can be a nice stress relief and can help keep the mind active.

Money

Plan ahead for health care costs in retirement. The biggest expenditure for Canadians over age 65 is health care. Out-of-pocket expenses for additional health coverage and services not covered by provincial health care systems add up across a lengthy retirement.3 Work with your Edward Jones advisor to ensure these are considered in your retirement strategy.

There are no guarantees in life, but there are steps you can take to help protect what’s often your most important asset: your health.